Socket structure



y 0- F. c. DE REAMER 2,201,853

SOCKET STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 28, 19:58

Fig.5.

Inventor: Frank C. De Reamer:

Attorney Patented May 21, 194

PATENT OFFICE 2.201.853 sooner .smoc'rvmz Frank C. De Reamer,Bridgeport, Conm, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation ofNew York Application January 28,1938, Serial No. 187,425

3 Claims.

This invention relates to mountings for electric translation devicessuch as lamps, or the like, or the type in which the cooperating plug ofthe device is held securely in a socket against accidental displacement.i

The present invention comprises an improvement over the socket structuredisclosed in the co-pending application of Daniel K. Wright andFrederick H. Weston, Serial No. 143,310, filed May 18, 1937.

The object ofthe inventionis to provide an improved construction andarrangement in amounting of this type, and more particularly to providea bearing surface for the plug of the device as it is rotated formounting in the socket. In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a sideelevation in section of a socket embodying the invention taken alonglines I'I of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is an exploded top plan view of the socketwith one of the locking plates removed; Fig. 3 is a sectional view takenalong the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing a lamp mounted in the socket;Fig. 4 is an exploded view showing the elements of the socket, and Fig.5 is a perspective view of the bearing ring upon which the plug of thelamp rests.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a socket for use with anelectric lamp having a glass envelope I provided with a plug connectorwhich comprises a base 2 from which extend two prong terminals 3 rigidlyfixed to the 'base by means of skirts 3a sealed thereto. Each of theprongs has a cylindrical contact-engaging portion 4 and a reducedportion 5 forming a shoulder 6 above the contact-engaging portion. Theupper endsof the prongs are connected to rigid filament supporting rods1 which serve as lead-in wires. The rods 1 locate the filament of thelamp precisely with respect to the base. This type of plug connector isused for lamps drawing extremely heavy currents so that it is importantthat the prongs be held in firm engagement with the contacts of thesocket. The socket comprises a base 8 of porcelain, or other suitableinsulating material, in the upper side of which are formed two pockets 9and a central depression 9a, the latter being provided to receive theseal 9b of the lamp. In the pockets 9 are spring clips It, the open endsof which face in opposite directions, as shown by Fig. 2. The contactsmay be reinforced by spring clips 23 which ar snapped over the arms ofthe contacts. The spring clips 23 prevent decrease in contact pressureapplied by the spring contacts Hi to the lamp prongs due to heating ofthe, contact arms. The contacts are spot weldedto supports H which aresecured to the base by screws l2 threaded into terminal plates l3, towhich the line conductors are attached. Above each of the pockets 9 is aresilient metal locking plate It which is secured to the base by meansof a bolt It. The locking plates are provided with openings 15a throughwhich the contact-engaging portions 5 of the prongs 30 may be insertedand communicate with arcuate slots it into which the reduced portions ofthe prongs enter when the plug is rotated relative to the socket in aclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2. The openings l5a are in axialalinement with the enlarged portions 23a of the spring clips 23, but aresmaller in size. The edges of the slots' l6 engage the shoulders 6 ofthe prongs and prevent axial displacement of the prongs. 'As shown inFig. 4 the looking so plates are formed so that they are highest attheir free ends adjacent the openings l5a. From the openings l5a theedges of the slots it have downwardly inclined portions H which engagethe shoulder 6 on the prongs when the plug is ac rotated in a clockwisedirection after insertion in the socket and guide the reduced portionsof the prongs into the narrow slots l6 and, at the same time, urge theprongs toward the bottom of the socket. This resiliently forces thelower so edge of the plug against the shoulder portion IS on the base 8and prevents any wobbling of the plug in the socket. The plug has aconical seating shoulder l9a which fits lnthe complementary seatingshoulder formed in the base 8 35 and the shoulder cooperates to centerthe plug in the socket, soflthatthe filament of the lamp is held infixed relation to the socket. At the end of the downwardly inclinedportions H the locking plates have upwardly inclined portions 49 I8which engage the shoulder 6 and resist counterclockwise rotation of theplug relative to the socket which would tend to move the prongs of theplug out of engagement with the contacts.

From one aspect the inclined portions l1 and I 8 5 provide -'aprojection which locks the plug in the socket. The socket is mounted bya coupling 20 provided with arms M which are secured to the base byscrews 22.

The structure thus far described is the same 50' as that disclosed inthe 'above mentioned (:0- pending application of Daniel K. Wright andFrederick H. Weston.

It has been found in mounting the lamp in the socket just described thatconsiderable tumlng force was necessary to overcome the frictionalresistance between the base shoulder (19a and the socket shoulder 99, inaddition to that necessary to secure the prongs in the locking platesand contact clips. While the socket described provides an excellentmechanical and electrical supporting means for the lamp and while a snugand tight-fitting inter-engagement between the lamp base and the socketis essential, it is desirable to eliminate any unnecessary frictionalresistance arising between the shoulders i9 and i911 whenever the lampis mounted in the socket.

To this end an anti-friction metal ring or bearing member 25 is placedupon the base shoulder 59 where it conforms to the contour of theshoulder. The ring is provided with ears 24 which are engaged by thescrews 22 to clamp the ring to the base. In this manner theanti-friction bearing surface is disposed between the lamp base shoulderMia and the base shoulder l9 and greatly reduces the frictional forcearising between the shoulders as the lamp is being inserted into orremoved from the socket, particularly in the construction wherein thesocket base is made of porcelain. This prevents the edges of the baseshoulder Hi from becoming chipped or broken due to the frictional forcesarising from insertion of the lamp. In addition to protecting the baseshoulder l9 the bearing ring provides a smooth surface upon which thelamp base 2 may rotate as the lamp is applied to the socket.

In the use of the socket the prongs 3 of the plug are inserted throughthe openings I5a in the locking plates M. In this position the prongsare out of contact with the contacts to of the socket. In order to bringthe prongs into engagement with the contacts, the plug is rotated in aclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 which causes the shoulders 6 onthe prongs to' engage the inclined portion ll of the locking platescausing the lower edge of the plug to be pulled downwardly into thebearing member 25 of the base. Just prior to the complete engagement ofthe prongs with the contact ID the shoulders 6 of the prongs reach theupwardly inclined portions i8 of the locking plates. Since at this timea considerable twisting force is being exerted on the plug, the prongsof the plug are moved quickly into complete engagement with the contactsI0 due to the decreased resistance offered by the upwardly inclinedportions l8. When the plug is to be removed Irom the socket, it is firstturned in a counterclockwise direction until the prongs enter theopenings I512. The inclined portions ll! of the locking plates resistthe initial part of this movement, but as soon as the shoulder 8 reachesthe inclined portions I! the prongs are quickly moved out of engagementwith the contacts it.

What I claim as new and desire to obtain'by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

l. A device for use with an electric translationdevlce base of ceramicmaterial having an annular seating shoulder and contact terminal studsprojecting from said base in the direction of the axis of said shoulderand themselves provided with securing shoulders; said device comprisinga socket for said base having a seating shoulder of ceramic material, ametallic anti-friction bearing member mounted on said seating shoulder;resiliently yielding engagement means in said socket for coacting withsaid stud shoulders to 101d the base shoulder against said bearingmember engageable with the said stud shoulders by relative turning ofbase and socket for engagement of said base shoulder and bearing member,said engagement means having bottom projections in position for the studshoulders to ride under them as base and socket are turned relative toone another; and contact means in the socket engageable with said studsby the relative turning of the base and socket.

2. A socket for an electric translation device,

said socket having an annular seating shoulder of ceramic material forcoacting with a corresponding annular base shoulder of the device, saidbase shoulder being of ceramic material, a metallic anti-frictionbearing member secured to said seating shoulder, resiliently yieldingengagement means with keyhole slots for receiving through their enlargedportions shoulder contact terminal studs projecting from said base inthe direction of the axis of the said base shoulder, and engaging thestud shoulders when the base and socket are turned relative to oneanother for insertion of the studs in the slots as aforesaid, saidengagement means having bottom projections in position with the studshoulders to ride under them as the studs reach the limit of movement inthe slots, and contact means in position to engage said studs as theirshoulders pass under said projections.

3. A socket comprising a body portion having an annular shoulder ofceramic material, a metallic bearing member mounted on said shoulder, aplurality of resilient members having keyhole slots therein adapted toengage with prongs on a base and pull ashoulder of ceramic material onsaid base firmly against the bearing member upon rotation of the baserelative to the socket and a plurality of contact clips located inalinement with said keyhole slots and adapted to engage said prongs uponthe relative rotation of base and socket.

FRANK C. DE REAMZER.

